One Step Closer
by Sofia Bee
Summary: After another sleepless night, Thor figures out a way to help Natasha out. Sequel to a Place for my head


**Title:** One Step Closer  
**Author**: Sofia  
**Category**: Avengers  
**Pairing**: Natasha & Thor  
**Rating;** T

**Summary**: After another sleepless night, Natasha and Thor have another conversation.

**Note**: Sequel to Place for My Head

**Disclaimer**: I own nada, zilch, nothing.

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It was becoming a routine.

Wake up, shower, threaten to kill Tony Stark, save the world from an alien invasion, shower again, threaten the sandman for not putting her to sleep and then proceed to kick and punch the living crap out of the punching bag in the gym somewhere between 2 and 4 am.

The punching bag was beginning to bore her, it never really was her thing to begin with. Clint was right when he acknowledged that she was a spy, not a soldier. Though she could hold her own in any situation, her role originally in any mission was for her to slip in, get to the target, and get back out, shaking her hips along the way. Its only since the Avengers that her role had been escalated to playing Ring a round of Rosies on the faces of the alien population.

What she needed was a sparring partner for a good roll around the mat. That's what she was good at, hand to hand combat and choking out people with her amazingly sexy but deadly legs. Truth be told, she could easily drag one of the rookies in the gym with her and put them through hell so she can get a decent work out, but it isn't what she truly wanted, or more so needed. What she needed was HER sparring partner back, she needed Clint back.

Unfortunately her pig headed partner tried to be all suave again and repelled and smashed his way through a glass window of a skyscraper a few days prior. He had suffered 4 broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and they were still pulling shards of broken glass out of his back. Its only because of the fact that she is stupidly in love with him that she doesn't snap his neck for his recklessness, and maybe, just maybe because he is a really good kisser that she spared him. That idea in the back of her mind actually made her lips curve in the faintest of smiles.

"I am certain that it is human customs to get 8 hours of sleep in order to function at a warrior's level." His voice boomed as loudly as his footsteps in the echoing gym. Good thing Thor is the God of THUNDER, he would fail miserably at being a noiseless spy. Her ears perked at the statement, her hair flipping at the movement of her turning to meet his gaze. Before her stood the blond god, clad in navy blue sweatpants and a white T shirt, his hair in a messy ponytail. Natasha had to admit, the human look was working for him very well.

She chuckled softly as she started to unwrap the bandaged around her knuckles.

"But I, my dear Thor, am an assassin, I need no sleep," she teased back.

"Even assassins need sleep, my lady," he quipped.

"And God's don't?" she retorted to which he chuckled in response.

"Even Gods find it difficult to fall into a deep slumber when the warrior princess that is Agent Ramanov is very loudly punching away at a defenseless punching contraption. The sound echoes through the ship," he half stated, half laughed. A mixture of dismay and guilt crossed her face at the realization that she was keeping him, and probably the rest of them up at night with her mindless beating of the punching bag. But she knew that none of them dared approach her about it. They knew better if they'd wanted to keep their limbs in tact.

"I'm sorry," she muttered under her breath, dropping down at sit on the bench.

"Sleep still evading you?" he asks as he takes a seat next to her. The last time they had spoken about her lack of sleep, it had been due to fear of the Hulk and missing Clint. That reason had long gone, but she still wasn't sleeping.

She shrugged. "Clint is restless in bed and in a lot of pain from his little show a few days ago. Not so easy bouncing back from smashing through glass." Trying to add a little humor to the situation seemed to have knocked some edge off of her. "I try to get in a little time in the gym when he finally does fall asleep."

"Maybe you should try smashing through a window as well, mandatory bed rest could do you body some good," he offered half humorously, half serious as well.

"Maybe I just need a vacation." It came out as a whispered sigh, her head bowed down, clasped hands hanging between her knees. Thor was not accustomed to this kind of demeanor from Natasha, and he was most certain that he did not enjoy it.

"What you need Agent Romanov, is a quarreling partner." He said it firmly as he stood up, and turned to her, his hand outstretched.

Perplexed, she stared at his outstretched limb. "Excuse me?" The question was momentarily ignored when he grabbed her hand at pulled her up to stand with him.

"You have no desire for that punching bag. Your nature is to train through quarreling with a partner. I may not be as agile as the hawk, but I can take a beating," he pointed out, his hand beating his chest a few times. With that, his T shirt went over his head and on to the floor. Natasha let out a sound that sounded somewhat like a laugh intertwined with a scoff, a look of bewilderment still etched in her face. "Don't worry about it Thor, I am ok, its not necessary," she assured him as she turned to walk away, but to no avail, he started wrapping up his knuckles as well.

"Is the Black Widow cowering in defeat? I had hopes that you would be as brave as lady Sif. Grave disappointment this is," he mockingly teased, which earned him a painful, even for a God, punch to his shoulder. Thor was amused that Natasha now had a challenged and determined look in her eyes, the same ones he saw in battle, and boy did he love battles. "Im gonna take you through hell and high water," she mockingly spewed. Challenge accepted. He a growled a little as they headed for the middle of the sparring mat.

"And Thor?" she began as they took their stance. Their eyes locked for a moment and she smiled.

"It's Natasha."

"I beg your pardon?" Puzzlement now adorned his handsome features.

"You can call me Natasha. Not Agent Romanov, Black Widow, Evil Russian Bitch as Tony refers to me. Just Natasha," she softly said. It was a tone that was new to Thor, and very inviting. The barrier that she held up was slowly coming down and Thor felt triumphant, if he actually thought about it.

"Alright, Natasha." Her name sounded beautiful falling from his lips.

He smiled before her leg smashed into his face with a round house kick.

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I want more Thor scenes in the next Avenger's movie :(

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